· 'More children will die' unless jabs get all-clear
· Warning as England faces big measles epidemic
Ian Sample, science correspondent
Tuesday June 27, 2006
The Guardian
A group of Britain's leading paediatricians and childhood vaccination experts has warned that more children will die unless a line is drawn under the autism and MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine controversy.
In an open letter, 30 scientists, including some of the country's most eminent child health experts, say that an overwhelming body of evidence shows the vaccine is safe. They add that urgent immunisations are necessary to prevent potentially devastating outbreaks among schoolchildren.
The warning comes as England faces its biggest measles outbreak in 20 years, fuelled by the refusal of some parents to have their children immunised because of now discredited claims linking the MMR jab and autism.
The letter, whose signatories include Patricia Hamilton, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, and Professor Sir David Hall, a paediatrician at Sheffield University, says: "The time has come to draw a line under the question of any association between the MMR vaccine and autism. The UK's children are in danger of serious illness or death if they are left unimmunised."
This month, the Health Protection Agency reported 449 cases of measles so far this year - more in just six months than the 438 reported cases in 2003. In 2005, there were only 77 reported cases.
Confidence in the MMR vaccine slumped in 1998 when a team led by Andrew Wakefield at the Royal Free hospital, north London, published research in the Lancet on bowel disease and autism. Dr Wakefield later suggested that there might be a link between autism and the MMR jab. He now faces professional misconduct charges brought by the General Medical Council.
In the letter, the scientists raise concerns that many children born during the height of the MMR scare are now set to enter schooling without the immunisation. "We are now faced with a potentially serious situation. Years of low uptake mean large numbers of unprotected children are now entering school. Unless this is rectified urgently, and children are immunised, there will be further outbreaks and more unnecessary deaths," it says.
Although immunisation rates are rising, they are still below the 95% level the World Health Organisation says is needed for "herd immunity". A year ago MMR uptake stood at 70.8% in London and 83% for the whole of the UK. The letter adds: "It is not too late to avert this predictable tragedy. It is time that due weight is given to the overwhelming body of scientific evidence in favour of the vaccine. Misguided concepts of "balance" have confused and dangerously misled patients. We all, media, politicians and health professionals, have a responsibility to protect the health of our children."
David Elliman, a consultant in community child health at Great Ormond Street Hospital, and a signatory of the letter, said that a vast body of research now vindicated the MMR vaccine, but he added that some media reports remained "partisan" in their coverage of research into the vaccine.
"Parents should be wary of simplistic headlines and information they read on the internet," he added.
· Warning as England faces big measles epidemic
Ian Sample, science correspondent
Tuesday June 27, 2006
The Guardian
A group of Britain's leading paediatricians and childhood vaccination experts has warned that more children will die unless a line is drawn under the autism and MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine controversy.
In an open letter, 30 scientists, including some of the country's most eminent child health experts, say that an overwhelming body of evidence shows the vaccine is safe. They add that urgent immunisations are necessary to prevent potentially devastating outbreaks among schoolchildren.
The warning comes as England faces its biggest measles outbreak in 20 years, fuelled by the refusal of some parents to have their children immunised because of now discredited claims linking the MMR jab and autism.
The letter, whose signatories include Patricia Hamilton, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, and Professor Sir David Hall, a paediatrician at Sheffield University, says: "The time has come to draw a line under the question of any association between the MMR vaccine and autism. The UK's children are in danger of serious illness or death if they are left unimmunised."
This month, the Health Protection Agency reported 449 cases of measles so far this year - more in just six months than the 438 reported cases in 2003. In 2005, there were only 77 reported cases.
Confidence in the MMR vaccine slumped in 1998 when a team led by Andrew Wakefield at the Royal Free hospital, north London, published research in the Lancet on bowel disease and autism. Dr Wakefield later suggested that there might be a link between autism and the MMR jab. He now faces professional misconduct charges brought by the General Medical Council.
In the letter, the scientists raise concerns that many children born during the height of the MMR scare are now set to enter schooling without the immunisation. "We are now faced with a potentially serious situation. Years of low uptake mean large numbers of unprotected children are now entering school. Unless this is rectified urgently, and children are immunised, there will be further outbreaks and more unnecessary deaths," it says.
Although immunisation rates are rising, they are still below the 95% level the World Health Organisation says is needed for "herd immunity". A year ago MMR uptake stood at 70.8% in London and 83% for the whole of the UK. The letter adds: "It is not too late to avert this predictable tragedy. It is time that due weight is given to the overwhelming body of scientific evidence in favour of the vaccine. Misguided concepts of "balance" have confused and dangerously misled patients. We all, media, politicians and health professionals, have a responsibility to protect the health of our children."
David Elliman, a consultant in community child health at Great Ormond Street Hospital, and a signatory of the letter, said that a vast body of research now vindicated the MMR vaccine, but he added that some media reports remained "partisan" in their coverage of research into the vaccine.
"Parents should be wary of simplistic headlines and information they read on the internet," he added.
On ne répètera jamais assez l'effet terriblement néfaste des affirmations péremptoires des adeptes de l'anti-vaccination. Jouant ignominieusement sur les peurs irrationnelles de parents dans la détresse, ces irresponsables causent de graves préjudices à des enfants et des parents qui viendront grossir les rangs d'autres groupes de pressions de l'irrationnel (comme ils ne pourront pas incriminer le vaccin ROR, ils trouveront une autre cause, tout aussi irrationnelle).
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